Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to call routing, and more specifically, to systems and methods for redirecting outgoing calls.
Description of the Related Art
Voice over IP (VoIP) is a technological development in the field of telecommunications that is utilized to establish and provide voice communications over a data network using the Internet Protocol (IP). Businesses and individuals implement VoIP by installing the necessary equipment and service (i.e., a “high speed” network or broadband connection) to access a VoIP service provider and activating this telecommunication service. Calls from a VoIP subscriber device to a destination device may be routed via a number of inter-connected networks, such as via the VoIP service provider network, mobile telephone service provider networks, and existing and traditional telecommunications system more commonly referred to as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS).
VoIP service providers may provide mobile or desktop VoIP applications (apps) that users can install on their smartphone or other type of mobile or stationary computing devices, or may provide VoIP Telephone/Terminal Adaptors (TA) that can be used with traditional hardwire telephones. These VoIP enabled devices are referred to herein as VoIP devices. At least a portion of the call may be transmitted as packets over an IP network rather than over traditional mobile phone mobile communication technology standards. Traditional mobile phone mobile communication technology standards include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code division multiple access (CDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) standards, and the like. By transmitting voice as packet data over an IP network, these mobile apps can allow a user to make free or low-cost calls to domestic and international destinations. They may be used when the user is connected to a base station over the mobile operator's cell network, over a wireless local area network (WLAN) router, such as a WLAN router based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11x or 802.16x standards, and the like.
When a first VoIP device user makes a call directed to a second VoIP device user over an IP network, it may be referred to as an “on-net” or data based session call. In this case, the call is made entirely over IP networks using a WLAN for example. Thus, the VoIP provider does not typically pay termination costs normally associated with connecting a call to a recipient. It should be noted that while an “on-net” call may be nominally directed to a phone number associated with the recipient VoIP device, the actual destination is the IP address associated with the recipient's VoIP device.
Other times, a first VoIP device user may use the native dialer of the phone, or some other installed over-the-top (OTT) telecommunication application, to make a call directed to a second user which uses traditional mobile phone communication technology standards (e.g., GSM standards). A situation may arise where the second user is a subscriber of a VoIP telephony service provider. In this case, the outgoing leg of the call is transmitted via traditional mobile phone communication technology standards, while the terminating leg of the call is transmitted as voice packet data over an IP network. When either call-leg is not a VoIP leg, it is considered an “off-net” call, the cost of which is usually paid by the originator of the call, with fees that may be paid from the originating provider to the terminating provider. When each leg of a call is serviced by different telephony service provider networks, it is considered an “off-net” call, the cost of which is either passed down to the subscriber (generally, the originating caller) or is absorbed by one of the service provider networks. However, the originating caller could have equally made the same call as “on-net”, for example, over a VoIP app installed on the originating device using an IP data network connection to avoid costs and using minutes.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and system to notify users that outgoing calls initiated over a first telephony service provider network may be redirected over second telephony service network, and to redirect those calls accordingly.